Farmers Market Challenge: Week 1

The farmers market here is on Thursday afternoons from 3-6.  Last year, I went every-other Thursday.  This summer, I worked every Thursday, so no farmers market for me :(  But now that the school year has started, my Thursdays are my own again and I actually Have a 6:30 yoga class right down the street from the farmers market (how convenient).  My plan/challenge to myself (and you can take it up too, if you like) is to head to my farmers market every week my schedule allows through the end of the season (our market goes through October) armed with $20 and see where it gets me.

Last week, I went to the farmers market with $20 and bought:

Handmade Basil Linguini: $4

3 Beautiful Eggplants: $2
(sorry no more pics of the items straight from the market...thats what happens when u don't think of a post 'til after you've already done the work)
2 Big Baskets of Tomatoes: $9
8 Green & Yellow Bell Peppers: $4
Half a basket of Jalapenos: $1



With all the Jalapenos, Half the Bell Peppers, and 2/3 of the tomatoes I made 16 Pints of Food Processor Salsa...with a little more kick than the last batch.  With the rest of the tomatoes, I made 3 Pints of pasta sauce.

With the Eggplants, I made 2 Casseroles of Eggplant Parmesan with the Sonoma Diet recipe (which is not ur typical eggplant parmesan).  Basically, you cut them up into 1/2 in slices and lay flat on cookie sheets.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil with thyme & garlic mixed in.  Bake for 20-25 min (or until soft) @ 375.  Put 3 layers of sauce, eggplant, parmesan into a casserole dish and top with mozzarella.  Bake at 375 for 10 min.  One I put in the freezer (no idea how well it'll freeze) and the other is in the fridge waiting for it's final bake to be dinner tonight... quite possibly sith a small side of linguini. 

With the 4 extra bell peppers, I made stuffed peppers (and put them in the freezer too, since I didn't need them yet.  I cored and blanched the peppers and ground up some (bear) sausage and browned it with onions in a skillet.  When it was almost done, I added some worchestershire sauce (am I the only one who can't decide how to pronounce that?)  Then I mixed with already cooked rice  and a can of condensed tomato soup.  Then, I stuffed the blanched peppers and froze them...but when you cook them, you top with more condensed tomato soup and bake 30-40 min @ 350.  

The bag frozen on top is extra filling.  I consider a stuffed pepper a full meal and often can't finish one, but nick likes to eat the leftover stuffing... and whatever I can't finish.  

Well, that's it for this week's farmers market challenge.  I'll prolly check in Thursday or Friday with my haul and farmers market eye candy, but I dunno how long It'll take me to use whatever I get.  

Psst!  Don't forget about the Preserve Swap!  I really don't want to be swapping with myself.